Sara closed her eyes. She felt a great suffocating pressure in her heart and knew something really bad happened, but for the moment, she couldn’t remember what. Then, as she came more fully awake, the events of the previous night hit in a tidal wave of realization and pain. Sara groaned again and tried to block it all from her mind.
She struggled to a sitting position and wearily rubbed her eyes, surprised to find she was still in her clothes and on top of the blankets. Her stomach gave a screech and as she stood, a sensation of wooziness made her grab the side of the bed for support. She needed food. First breakfast, then Brian.
After eating a stale cinnamon roll from the kitchen for breakfast and taking a hot, hot shower, Sara felt much better. As her blood sugar normalized, she felt terrible about the way she’d treated Brian. It was true Brian had made unfortunate choices before he became a Christian. But who hadn’t? If he in any way revealed he hadn’t reformed, then she’d back off and think things through more carefully.
But Brian had done nothing to show he wasn’t a changed man. In fact, it was obvious he took his faith very seriously and that he’d grown in the Lord since becoming a Christian. All at once, Sara wanted to assure him the past was forgiven and forgotten—and feel the strength of his arms around her.
After a clumsy scramble into some clean clothes, she hurried out the back door. Sara knocked on his cottage door repeatedly before looking around and realizing his truck wasn’t in the driveway. Disappointment brought tears burning at the back of her eyelids.
Slowly, she made her way back into the house wondering where he went. She didn’t remember him mentioning any plans. When she called his cell phone, she only reached his voicemail. Her behavior the previous night made her too timid to leave a message. When she talked to him, she wanted it to be in person.
In the kitchen she found plenty of cleanup to keep her hands occupied. While stacking dishes in the commercial grade dishwasher and wiping off the counters, she willed him to return quickly so she could apologize. But after two hours of intensive tidying both inside the house and out in the yard, he hadn’t returned.
Sara took down the wilted balloons from the new B & B sign at the end of the drive and looked down the road, hoping to see his truck appear on the horizon. After a moment, she plodded back into the house, checked the answering machine, and spiffed everything in her ‘office’, the corner of her bedroom containing her grandfather’s desk.
Becoming more impatient by the minute, Sara grabbed the phone and called Hattie, although she doubted her aunt knew anything more than she.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and discussing the success of the open house, Hattie startled her by asking where Brian went in such a hurry earlier that morning.
“I stopped by at seven because I forgot my purse there last night and from the living room window, I saw his truck zooming out of the driveway.”
Sara gripped the phone receiver, and like a hammer-blow to her heart, she remembered Romy’s parting words from the night before. I’ll be heading back down south in the morning if you want to join me.
She mumbled some kind of excuse to her aunt and hung up the phone. Sara stared blindly about the room as the awful thought wormed its way fully into her brain. Brian would never...he couldn’t. Oh, but he could. Why stick with someone like you when there’s Romy with her electric hips, issuing a clear invitation? A haze of hurt, anger, and jealousy clouded her vision as she strode to her bedroom, all her recent feelings of forgiveness ancient history.
Locating her purse and keys, Sara stormed out of the house. The Ford’s reluctance to start only fueled her rage, especially when she realized she hadn’t taken it in to the shop like she was supposed to. Finally, after noisy sputters and backfires, Sara managed to get the truck out of the driveway and onto the road.
She drove and drove, not caring where she went, only knowing she wouldn’t be waiting around for Brian Farris, pining away for him as she did before. Good riddance to him. Any time she noticed a softening towards him, she hardened her heart, holding onto her hurt and nursing it along.
As the scenery flew by, Sara made plans to sell the B & B, no, give it to Hattie and Robert for a wedding present. She could go back to some boring job in Crescent City. Then, she’d be truly happy. She’d never wanted to come back to Buell Creek in the first place. Only see what a mess it turned out to be.
The truck began to slow of its own accord. Sara pumped the gas pedal, but the engine continued to lose power until the Ford lurched to a stop in the middle of the road. It creaked and groaned and hissed, finally settling into complete silence. Turning the key proved futile. Unable to believe that she was stuck out in the middle of nowhere, Sara scrambled out onto the road and kicked the tire with all her might. When she clutched her smarting foot and fell down onto her backside, her rage fizzled and died.
With a ragged breath, she clambered to her feet and limped over to the truck. She had to get it off the road somehow. After tying the steering wheel hard to the right with some old rope found on the floor of the cab, she got behind the truck, heaving and pushing with the last of her strength. The Ford silently eased off the road and onto the shoulder, coming to rest in a shallow ditch near a fence.
With sweat pouring down her face, Sara remembered the forecast was for a scorcher of a day. Perfect. She wrenched off her shirt, exposing a white tank top beneath, and tied the shirt sleeves around her waist. In the truck’s ashtray, she rummaged around the coins, paper clips, and fuses. Finding a rubber band, she put her hair into a sloppy ponytail. After her exertions, Sara decided when she got back home, if she got back home, she’d buy a stinkin' cell phone.
She scrutinized her surroundings. As far as she could see, the road was bordered on both sides by fields populated with cows. Not a building in sight, not even a barn. Towering trees arched over the road giving some relief to the relentless heat. Not a whisper of breeze stirred the heavy air. Sara wiped her hand across her face, idly noticing the dirt on her hands and arms. Hearing a nearby moo, she walked over to the fence and came face to face with a brown and white cow. It stood with its head over the top of the fence and mooed again.
She tentatively reached out and patted it on the head. The cow stood patiently when she grew bolder with her contact. With a minimum of movement to avoid startling the animal, Sara climbed over the top rung, careful to steer clear of splinters from the aging wood. She found it soothing to pet the animal, and felt a measure of her angst ease. Its hide felt warm and smooth, and it looked at her with liquid brown eyes fringed with long lashes. There was something almost sympathetic in its bovine gaze. And she could use a little sympathy right now.
Tears slipped slowly down her cheeks and dripped off her chin. Sara brushed them away and realized with awful clarity Brian wouldn’t go after that blonde hussy. She looked at her hand resting on the animals’ back and saw how the sunlight refracted off the diamond ring he'd given her before the open house. He wouldn’t ask her to marry him if he planned to run off with another female at the first opportunity.
“It’s breathtaking how stupid we humans can be,” she sniffled to the cow while stroking its side. “Brian is a different person now, and he would never do anything to hurt me.” More tears ran in little rivers down her cheeks. “And now I’m stuck out here in this field with no idea where I am or how to get home. I’m such an idiot.”
Sara pressed her face into the cow’s side and cried her heart out. The cow lowed mournfully in a sort of counterpoint, which had the effect of drying her tears. She gave a reluctant laugh, sniffing and wiping her eyes as best as she could with the cleanest part of her arms.
“Thanks for listening,” she told the cow between hiccups. “Do you have a name? Let me see. You look like a Cassandra. Cassie for short. How does that sound?” Cassie flicked her tail and snorted inelegantly.
Sara looked around and considered her predicament. Either she could wait for someone to drive by and help her, or she could start walking until sh
e came to a house to call for a tow truck. The day wavered with a visible heat. She felt drained and tired—too tired to walk down the road. Blowing out a sigh, she rested her arms on the fence and looking down, noticed the grass along side the ditch was starred with pretty, white daisies.
***
The sound of an approaching vehicle an hour later brought Sara to attention. An oncoming truck shimmered in the distance. As it neared, she saw it was Brian’s pickup. With a cry of delight, Sara scrambled over the fence and out onto the road. When he stopped and emerged from the cab, she rushed into his arms and held him tight.
“I’m so sorry about last night, Brian. Can you ever forgive me?”
Brian looked down at her with alarm. “What in the world happened to you? Are you all right?”
She followed his gaze and realized her shirt was filthy, her hair a mess, and she also emanated an awful smell. “I’m fine. Cassie kept me company.”
“Cassie?”
“The cow over there. She’s a real sweetie.” She pointed to Cassie, a daisy flower chain hanging drunkenly from her ears.
Brian didn't appear convinced. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She nodded. “I’ve been such a fool, Brian. I love you so much.”
“And that makes you a fool?” he asked with a grin. “So be it.” He gave her a quick kiss. “So are you going to tell me why you’re out here in the middle of nowhere?”
Sara lowered her eyes. “My truck broke down. How did you find me?”
“I followed the trail of oil,” he said sardonically. “Hattie thought you sounded upset about something when she last talked to you. And when you didn’t return right away, I decided to come looking.”
She found herself reluctant to confess her silliness. After a moment, she decided to come clean. “I...thought you’d left...for good.”
Brian’s hands tightened on her arms. “What!”
Sara sent him an imploring look. “I was so jealous,” she said in a rush. “I couldn’t think straight, and I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I know you’re not like that anymore. Will you forgive me?”
“Sara,” he said in a low voice, “If anyone needs forgiveness, it’s me. I’m sorry you saw that part of my life. But it’s behind me. For good.”
“I know.”
He kissed her then, a long, slow, bone-melting kiss that made her knees go weak. Abruptly, he released her. “You need a bath!”
***
As they turned into the driveway of the farmhouse, Brian turned to Sara. “You forgot to ask me where I was this morning.”
“So where were you this morning?”
“My sister, Julia, called from the airport at seven a.m. Yesterday on the phone, I told her I got engaged and she hopped the next plane without bothering to inform me of the fact. I was in a hurry to pick her up so she wouldn’t be stuck at the airport all morning.”
“So, where is she now?” asked Sara, feeling suddenly nervous.
“In the house, waiting to meet you.”
“In the house? Now? I can’t meet her like this,” she said, motioning to her unkempt appearance.
“Don’t worry, she’ll understand. I’ll just tell her you were on rather good terms with a cow.”
“Don’t you dare!”
Brian parked and turned off the engine. As he got out, he pulled her out with him and pinned her in his arms. “She’ll only be here for a few days,” he murmured between kisses. “What do you think about having a wedding while she’s here?”
“What?” Sara yelped.
“We’ve been apart for two years. I don’t want to drag this out any longer. Besides, she could help with the arrangements if you want. She’s a whiz with that kind of stuff.”
“Um, I think I'm going to have to disappoint you.” He made every effort to persuade her with his lips, but she was adamant. “Unless you want to have a quickie wedding,” she said, coming up for air, “then postpone the honeymoon until I get my passport, because I clearly remember you mentioning something about Scotland.”
“Postpone the honeymoon? But that's the best part!”
She shook her head at his silliness and kissed him again.
“Ahem.”
“If that’s you, Todd, you’re fired,” Brian grumbled without looking up.
“I don’t know any Todd, but I would like to meet my future sister-in-law at some point today.”
With a gasp, she gave Brian a little shove. Even he flushed when he saw his older sister gazing at them with interest. Sara bit back her dismay when she recognized the woman from the photograph in Brian’s cottage. The diminutive fashion plate in front of her hardly seemed the type to be understanding of Sara’s disheveled appearance. From her honey blonde hair swept up in a stylish twist, to her petite stature dressed in a silk pantsuit, she immediately made Sara feel gangly and gauche. To make matters worse, Brian botched the introduction.
“Julia, allow me to introduce to you my fiancée, the lady who smells like a cow, Sara Andersen.”
I’ll kill him. But before she could suit action to words, she was enveloped in a warm hug. When Julia stood back, she had tears in her eyes.
“I’m so glad to meet you. I only hope you know what you’re getting into with my troublesome brother.” Linking her arm with Sara’s, she led her to the house, leaving Brian behind. “But between the two of us, we’ll get him whipped into shape.”
***
Later that night, after a leisurely dinner with Julia, Sara snuggled with Brian on the sofa in the living room. Julia had already retired to the best room upstairs.
“Even though you have two bookings for next week, technically, my sister is your first customer.”
“You’re right,” Sara agreed sleepily.
“Since this place helped to bring us together, maybe Julia will meet someone while she’s here.”
“I don’t know why not. I can’t believe she’s still single. What’s the story there?”
He nuzzled her cheek. “I’ll tell you about it sometime, but right now, the charms of your lips are infinitely more appealing.”
Sara, thankful to be restored to the circle of Brian’s arms, tipped her face up for what Robert Burns called the humid seal of soft affections, the tend'rest pledge of future bliss.
Continue the story with Brian's sister, Julia:
Lights and Shadows
Chiaroscuro: the treatment of light and shade to give an illusion of depth—even in love.
(Book Two of the Oregon In Love series)
Milagro For Miranda
(Book Three of the Oregon In Love series)
Miranda needs a miracle—to find her lost sister in a Mexican orphanage.
Or buy the three books in one set and save.
Oregon In Love
Also by Bonnie Blythe:
Rock and A Hard Place
(Book One of Cascade Brides)
Faith must decide whether to open her heart to love and reconciliation.
Bayward Heart
(Book Two of Cascade Brides)
Project Love
(Book Three of Cascade Brides)
Claire’s Not-So-Gothic Romance
Jane Eyre meets Lucille Ball
How Sweet It Is
Chocolate maker meets surfer dude
Dearly Loved
She loved him long ago. Can she now that he's back in her life?
Texas Whirlwind
Did she buy her ready-made family and can she do it alone?
Melody’s Knight
An English girl has a hankering for an American cowboy.
Loves Unmasking
(part of the British Brides Collection)
A regency novella
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Restorations (Book One Oregon In Love) Page 16